Lincoln sheep
{{Short description|Breed of sheep}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2025}}
{{Use British English|date=February 2014}}
The Lincoln, sometimes called the Lincoln Longwool, is a breed of sheep from England. The Lincoln is the largest British sheep, developed specifically to produce the heaviest, longest and most lustrous fleece of any breed in the world. Great numbers were exported to many countries to improve the size and wool quality of their native breeds. The versatile fleece is in great demand for spinning, weaving and many other crafts.
It is now one of Britain's rarer breeds, categorized as "at risk" by the Rare Breeds Survival Trust since there are fewer than 1500 registered breeding females in the United Kingdom.
{{cite web
|url=http://www.rbst.org.uk/watch-list/sheep/lincolnlongwool
|publisher=Rare Breeds Survival Trust watch list
|access-date=21 June 2008
|title=Lincoln Longwool
|work=Sheep
|url-status=dead
|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090829115433/http://www.rbst.org.uk/watch-list/sheep/lincolnlongwool
|archive-date=29 August 2009
}}
Characteristics
Mature rams weigh from {{convert|250|to|350|lb|kg|abbr=on}}, and mature ewes will range in weight from {{convert|200|to|250|lb|kg|abbr=on}}. Fleece of the Lincoln is carried in heavy locks that are often twisted into a spiral near the end. The staple length in Lincolns is among the longest of all the breeds, ranging from {{convert|8|to|18|in|cm|abbr=on}} with a yield of 65 to 80%. Lincolns produce the heaviest and coarsest fleeces of the long-wooled sheep with ewe fleeces weighing from {{convert|12|to|20|lb|kg|abbr=on}}. The fleece has a numeric count of 36's – 46's and ranges from 41.0 to 33.5 micronsPreparation of Australian Wool Clips, Code of Practice 2010-2012, Australian Wool Exchange (AWEX), 2010 in diameter. Although coarse and somewhat hair-like, the fleece does have considerable luster.
{{cite web
|url=http://www.ansi.okstate.edu/breeds/sheep/lincoln/index.htm
|title=Lincoln sheep
|work=Breeds of livestock
|publisher=University of Oklahoma Dept. of Animal Science
|access-date=21 April 2009
|url-status=dead
|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090403111454/http://www.ansi.okstate.edu/breeds/sheep/lincoln/index.htm
|archive-date= 3 April 2009
}}
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
{{Commons category-inline|Lincoln Longwool}}
- [http://www.lincolnlongwools.co.uk/ U.K. Lincoln breeders association]
{{British livestock|R.1}}
Category:History of Lincolnshire
Category:Sheep breeds originating in England
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